


Stitches

by An Unknown Writers World (Hawkeyes_Winter_Soldier)



Series: 25 Days of Christmas [3]
Category: Captain America (Comics), Captain America (Movies), Captain America - All Media Types, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Winter Soldier (Comics)
Genre: F/M, Fluff and Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-07
Updated: 2019-12-07
Packaged: 2021-02-25 20:46:33
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,817
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21701662
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hawkeyes_Winter_Soldier/pseuds/An%20Unknown%20Writers%20World
Summary: Day Three: Hot ChocolatePart of @Panicfob 25 Days of Christmas Challenge
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Reader
Series: 25 Days of Christmas [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1559527
Comments: 1
Kudos: 14





	Stitches

The house was quiet and empty, Sam was off on a mission for the next several days and Bucky was due back tomorrow from his own. I ate dinner at the kitchen island, it felt a little bit pitiful. We didn’t always speak to each other, but I had grown used to eating dinner with Bucky and Sam. After cleaning up the dishes I made hot chocolate went to the sitting room.  
I turned the lights down and turned on the Christmas Tree. The gas fireplace warmed the room, I missed the crackle of a traditional wood fire, but this would do. Sitting on the floor I leaned against the couch to watch the tree. Getting lost in the magic of the twinkling lights I let my mind wander, I thought about all the things I was thankful this holiday season. Bucky and Sam seemed to be learning to get along, or at least tolerate each other, and Pepper had become a great friend. Also, I found myself thankful for Morgan and the ways she brought all of us together, the memories of baking cookies with her and Bucky were ones I’d treasure for a long time.   
Bucky’s change in demeanor was another thing I found myself focused on. Ever since the cookie episode with Morgan, he seems to be letting me in a little more, even offering to help decorate the tree.  
“Hey doll,” Bucky said rounding the corner.   
I jumped spilling hot chocolate everywhere. “Jesus, we need to put a bell on you,” I said harshly.   
He laughed, “Sorry,”  
“It’s okay,” I said getting up. “I thought you were gone for the night.”  
“I was supposed to be. Got the intel quicker than expected so I just decided to come home.”  
That’s when I noticed the damage – split lit, a cut on his cheek that clearly needed stitches.   
“Oh, Buck, c’mere. Let’s get that cleaned and stitched up.”  
“I’ll be alright, I can do it.” He assured.  
“It wasn’t a request,” I stated.  
“You’re bossy.” He chuckled, “Can I go change first?”  
“Sure, I’ll get this mess cleaned up. Would you like some?” I held up the cup in question.  
He smiled, “Yes, thank you.”  
I rushed to the kitchen grabbing supplies to clean up the mess, thankfully it was tile flooring which made it easier to clean. Turning the gas stove off, I made my way back to the kitchen. The first aid kit was in the bathroom, I grabbed it and turned to heat the milk. Pulling the necessary stuff out of the medkit I set up on the counter. Bucky appeared back in the kitchen in sweats and a tank top, making more wounds visible. I frowned at the sight of previously unseen wounds.  
He sat at the kitchen island as I worked. I mixed the powder and boiled milk in a cup and grated a small chunk of a chocolate bar and candy cane on top of the whipped cream before putting it in front of him.   
“Thank you,” He said softly.   
“I’ll be just another minute.”  
He nodded, breathing in the scent of the hot chocolate. I scurried around the kitchen pouring my own cup before setting the pan in the sink to soak. Sitting beside him at the island gave me clear access to the cheek that would need stitches and a few cuts on his bicep that may need the same attention.   
“You should see the other guy,” Bucky joked as I examined him.   
I laughed, “I’m not envious of whoever stitches him up.”   
“You know I can do it. I’ve done in a thousand times myself.” His eyes met mine.  
“Shush, Barnes. I’m not going to let you. Stop wasting your breath,” I smiled.  
“Have you done this before?” He asked as I poured antiseptic on a gauze pad.   
“Probably as many times you.”   
He raised an eyebrow in question.   
I pointed to a scar in my cheek in a similar place to his fresh wound. “Did these myself a few years back, and these” I pointed at a scar on my wrist, “done a few months before that. I have more if you need my resume. But these are just the ones on myself; Tony, Nat, and Steve all had a lot, even Sam has a few from me.”  
“Where’d you learn to do it?” He asked. “I thought you always worked for Stark.”  
“I have,” I stated.  
“And he taught you this?” He winced under the antiseptic burn.  
“Not quite.” I sighed; he wasn’t letting this go. “Self-taught mostly. Tony corrected some of my knowledge over time.”  
I was beginning to wish I started on his cheek rather than his bicep. Taking fresh gauze, I cleaned the wound to start the sutures.   
“Why would someone who is not a nurse or doctor learn this voluntarily?” He mumbled.   
“Someone who was afraid to answer the doctor’s questions.” I sighed with the weight of the world on my chest. “How did this happen- it’s a terrifying question,” I stated  
I focused on my hands trying to let everything else go, the wound only needed six stitches which took no time at all. The look on Bucky’s face showed he had more questions but thankfully sat quietly while I worked, flinching ever so lightly under my grasp or the occasional hand raise to sip his hot chocolate. A few butterfly band-aids were needed for smaller wounds along his flesh arm and one on his chin.  
“This will sting,” I said breaking the silence.  
He nodded, smiling halfhearted at me. A new antiseptic covered gauze pad slid over his cheek cleaning away the dried blood and dirt. This was deeper than it looked at first, it was going to take more than a handful of stitches; without hesitation, I started in on it. Bucky was strong and good at masking his pain, most of the time. The one give away he couldn’t avoid was physical pain, when he’d strain too much or flex his metal arm too hard the vibranium plates would shift causing a whirling noise.  
“I’m sorry Buck, I’m almost done, promise,” I said finishing up.  
“I’m okay.” He assured me.  
“Maybe tell your arm that then?” I joked.  
Bucky let out a heavy sigh knowing he’d been caught. I clipped the thread and place a light bandage over the stitches.  
“Keep it on for the night please,” I said turning my attention to the supplies on the counter.  
“Thank you.” Bucky softly.  
“Sure thing,” I replied not breaking my focus.  
Bucky rested his hand softly on my thigh catching me off guard, I jumped slightly.  
“Sorry,” He apologized softly, our breaths intertwining from the close proximity.   
I nodded not trusting my own voice.   
“I’ll clean this up later,” Bucky said. “I was wondering,” he hesitated for a moment, “Last night you mentioned a tradition of laying under the tree lights after you were done decorating. I was wondering if maybe you wanted to do that with me? I know it’s not the same as when you were little.”  
A smile broke across my face that I couldn’t contain, “I’d love to.”  
“Come on,” He moved to get up, a smile playing across his lips.  
“You mean right now?” I asked confused.  
“Yes, no time like the present, right?”  
I chuckled “What about this mess?”  
“I’ll clean it up later.” He was out of his seat holding both of our mugs.  
“I’ll help you later,” I promised getting up.  
“Sure, sure.” He smiled as he led the way from the kitchen.   
The room was just as I left it, lights dimmed but tree beautifully glowing. Taking the blanket from the back of the couch I laid it out across the tile. Bucky put both mugs on the table in front of the couch before sitting on the ground in front of the tree. Sitting down next to him I felt a small swell of pride, Bucky Barnes, the grinch himself is taking a step to enjoy a bit of Christmas. I shuffled laying back, so I was flat on the ground and inched my way back under the tree.  
“So that it?” Bucky asked with a laugh, “You just lay and shuffle?”  
“I didn’t think laying under an object would be that foreign of a concept for you Barnes.”  
“Oh, it’s not, doll,” He said laying back, “I just thought you might have more expectation.”  
I laughed, “I’m used to crawling under the tree after decorating, I have no expectations.”  
He settled in next to me as I looked over and saw him smiling up at the lights; for a brief moment, it seemed like he was genuinely happy. He turned to catch me still staring, smiling in return.  
“When it’s lit with colored lights,” I said looking up into the tree, “it’s fun to lay under and count all the different individual color bulbs.”  
He chuckled, “I bet you were an amusing child.”  
I shrugged, “I entertained myself a lot.”   
Silence fell between us, the only sounds in the room were our breaths. It was an oddly comfortable silence, everything that had transpired over the last seventy-two hours felt like light-years away. There was no tension, no strangers; just two friends enjoying the moments of Christmas peace.  
Reaching up into the tree I adjusted a rogue light facing the wrong direction, as quick as my hand returned to the blanket, I found my fingers intertwined with Bucky’s flesh ones. I was surprised, to say the least at the contact but found comfort in it. Trying not to make a big deal of it I turned my attention back to the lights.  
“Doll,” He whispered,  
“Yeah, Buck?”  
“If you ever want to talk about what happened, I hope you know that you can come to me.”  
I was shocked by his statement. Bucky was a smart man, of course, he knew there was substance behind the vague conversation we had about sutures, but I never expected him to put much thought into it.  
“You don’t have to talk about it either, but if I can do anything, be somewhere for you, anything really, please tell me.”   
I sighed with both gratitude and exhaustion heavy in my body, “Thank you, that means a lot, more than I can express, really.” I squeezed his hand in a reassuring gesture. “I hope you know that goes both ways,” I said turning to look at him. “I can’t begin to understand even a fraction of what you’ve been through, but I’d like to be there for you, however, you need.”  
He smiled back at me. “You already do every day.”   
We both fell into a comfortable silence again, looking up at the twinkling lights, hand in hand. I’m not sure how long it took, but I imagine it wasn’t long before we both fell asleep under the weight of Christmas magic.


End file.
